Reducing hospital readmissions in seniors is as crucial as ever.
There is presently a top priority for hospitals: reducing hospital readmissions in seniors who are at high risk. Healthcare Financial Management Association’s article “Two Ways Hospitals Can Reduce Avoidable Readmissions” explains that successful initiatives from a sampling of hospitals with minimal 30-day rehospitalizations are, to some degree, the result of participating with inpatient and outpatient care providers, such as Advanced Home Health Care, who can provide a continuum of care.
The hospitals outlined in the article shared the guidelines below to help cut back on rehospitalizations:
- Begin planning for a patient’s discharge from a hospital visit on the day he or she is admitted. When an older person is admitted to the hospital, contact a home care agency, like Advanced Home Health Care, to schedule in-home care upon discharge. Patient outcomes are improved when home care services are started as soon as possible after discharge.
- Identify patients who are at a greater risk for issues after discharge for further care coordination and/or case management services. (Make sure social workers see all patients age 80 and over to provide assistance with care needs.)
- Utilize technology to assess, track, or refer patients.
- Conduct an in-depth assessment of the patient’s risk factors, available resources, care needs, understanding and management of the disease or condition, and extent of family support.
At Advanced Home Health Care, leading providers of elderly care in Burlington, IA and the surrounding communities in Des Moines, Lee, Henry, Louisa and Van Buren Counties, we understand how critical it is to create a transitional care plan in order to reduce hospital readmissions in seniors. We help seniors plan for care needs beginning on day one of their hospital visit, monitoring their health and making certain that care plans are implemented as soon as they return home. Contact us at 800.791.7785 or reach us through our online contact form to find out more about how we can help the seniors you love transition from hospital to home with professional home care services like:
- Offering training and assistance with chronic condition management
- Medication reminders so they are taken precisely as prescribed
- Help with coordination and balance
- And many more
Avoid an unnecessary follow-up hospital visit. Partner with Advanced Home Health Care for assistance.
